XF-73 - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Non - Executive Director
Mr Williams has more than twenty-five years of leadership experience across pharma and biotech sectors. He is currently Chief Executive Officer of Enthera Pharmaceuticals. Prior to his current appointment, he was Chief Business Officer at Polyneuron Pharmaceuticals and before this served as Chief Commercial Officer at VectivBio. Mr Williams' prior experience includes more than seven years at Shire, where he was Vice President and Global Strategy Head and led three of the rare disease therapeutic areas. Prior to Shire, he held leadership positions of increasing responsibility at Bristol-Myers Squibb, Novartis and Roche.
Mr Williams originally trained in microbiology and started his career working in Public Health.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Scientific Advisory Board
- MACP FIDSA FSHEA
- Professor of Medicine
Dr Dale Gerding is a Professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL (retired) and Research Physician at the Edward Hines Jr. Veterans Affairs Hospital, Hines, IL where he maintains his active research laboratory. He is board certified in internal medicine and infectious diseases and a Master of the American College of Physicians and a member of the American Society for Microbiology.
Dr. Gerding's long and distinguished career includes past president of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America, past chair of the antibiotic resistance committee of SHEA and past chair of the National and Global Public Health Committee and the Antibiotic Resistance Subcommittee of IDSA. He was the recipient of the 2013 William S. Middleton Award. The Middleton Award is the highest honour awarded annually by the Biomedical Laboratory Research and Development Service to senior VA biomedical research scientists. In addition, he has been a Merit Review and Cooperative Studies funded research investigator in the US Department of Veterans Affairs for over 35 years.
In addition to authoring of over 450 peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters and reviews, he is a member of the editorial boards of Clinical Infectious Diseases, Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, Gut Microbes, and Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology.
Dr Gerding discovered and developed the NTCD-M3 preventive treatment for C. difficile through its Phase 2 programme and in November 2020 he partnered NTCD-M3 with Destiny Pharma to complete the Phase 3 clinical study and commercialise the asset.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Vice President, Preclinical Development
Mr Hynes has over 18 years drug discovery and development experience working for biotech, contract research and consultancy organisations on projects ranging from lead optimisation to full clinical development. Mr Hynes joined the team at Destiny Pharma as the Director of Preclinical Development in 2018. Since 2006 he has contributed towards nine successful first time in man enabling preclinical development programmes of work and has also contributed towards the development of four successfully registered products in the areas of prostate cancer, advanced gastric cancer, malaria and HAE.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Scientific Advisory Board
- Chief Operating Officer at Juvenescence
- FMedSci ( SAB Chairman )
Professor David Roblin is currently Chief Operating Officer at Juvenescence and was previously President of Research and Development at Summit Therapeutics. David served as a Non-executive Director on the Destiny Pharma Ltd Board of Directors from 2011 until May 2017.
He has also served recently as Chief Operating Officer, Chief Medical Officer and President of R&D at Summit Therapeutics plc, Chief Operating Officer and Director of Scientific Translation at the Francis Crick Institute in London from 2014 to 2017 and prior to that, Head of Research, Site Director and Chief Medical Officer for Europe R&D at Pfizer Inc. from 2008 to 2011. From 1997 to 1999, he was Head of Therapy Area for Anti-infectives at Bayer AG. Before entering the life sciences industry, Professor Roblin practised medicine for five years.
Through his career David has remained active in anti-infective R&D and he had key roles in the development of azithromycin, ciprofloxacin, moxiflxacin, celzentry and now ridinilazole. Of note, he was a founder and director of the Innovative Medicines Initiative, which championed precompetitive research including into antibiotics.
David has a first class degree in biochemistry from University of London and later qualified in medicine from St George's Hospital. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, a Fellow of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine and was recently elected as Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences. He is an honorary Professor of Medicine at Swansea University, Professor of Translational Medicine at St George's and Chair of Scientific Translation at the Francis Crick Institute.
David Roblin MD FRCP FFPM FMedSci (SAB Chairman)
Professor David Roblin is currently Chief Operating Officer at Juvenescence and was previously President of Research and Development at Summit Therapeutics. David served as a Non-executive Director on the Destiny Pharma Ltd Board of Directors from 2011 until May 2017.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Non - Executive Director
Dr Barker has worked at Novartis, Roche, GSK (then SmithKline Beecham) and most recently in C-Suite Biotech roles at Polyphor and Polyneuron. Dr Barker is currently Senior Independent Director at Arix Bioscience, a global venture capital company and holds additional Non-Executive Director positions at BerGenBio ASA, an immune-oncology company and CureVac AG a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company with a proprietary RNA technology platform. At Novartis Dr Barker held several senior roles including Head of Development for Anti-Infectives, Immunology and Transplantation. Dr Barker was also the medical lead for Swiss based anti-infective specialist Polyphor's highly successful IPO on the SIX Swiss Exchange.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Scientific Advisory Board
- Member of the Medicare Patient Safety Monitoring System
Job Titles:
- Chief Business Officer
- Member of the Leadership Team
Dr Bewick has 20 years' experience in Business Development within public and private biotech companies as well as mid-sized pharma, both in-house and as a consultant. Most recently, she was Vice President, Business Development at Summit Therapeutics, a NASDAQ-listed infectious disease company, leading the out-licensing and in-licensing activities, pipeline positioning and technology valuation, and was also involved in pre-launch activities to support commercialisation of an asset in the US. Throughout her career she has negotiated and closed a range of transactions from early research phase to late clinical stage of development. She holds a BSc (Hons) Neuroscience from the University of Edinburgh and a PhD from the University of Bristol.
Job Titles:
- Chief Scientific Officer
- Founder
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Member of the Leadership Team
Dr Love was a senior scientist at Ciba Geigy/Novartis focused on novel drug delivery technologies and involved in the development of the world's leading eye-care pharmaceutical, Visudyne. In 1997, Dr Love founded Destiny Pharma and he is the co-inventor of the XF drug platform. Dr Love was a founding member of the BEAM Alliance, an EU SME group focused on promoting antimicrobial drug development. He is an expert advisory board member of Global AMR Innovation Fund, appointed by Professor Dame Sally Davies. He joined the UK Research and Innovation ("UKRI") COVID-19 Research and Innovation Taskforce in March 2021. Dr Love is the named inventor in more than 70 patents. He has experience in drug R&D from discovery and lead identification, through pre-clinical development and into Phase 1/2 clinical development in the UK, EU and US.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Vice President, Research Operations
Dr Rhys-Williams is a microbiologist with over 30 years' experience working in pharmaceutical R&D and has been with Destiny Pharma since 1998. Dr Rhys-Williams has been involved in all the Company's research programmes from initiation through to clinical stage. He is a named inventor on all the Destiny Pharma patents and has been involved in the drafting, successful prosecution and grant of over 70 patents to date.
Job Titles:
- Chief Medical Officer
- Medical Doctor
- Member of the Leadership Team
Dr Martina is a Medical Doctor with a PhD in Genetics and Molecular Biology, an MBA and a Master's in Project Management. He has more than 20 years' experience in clinical development working with key regulatory, industry and government stakeholders including the EMA, the FDA and the PMDA in Japan. Dr Martina has experience of the US, Middle East and Asia and has contributed to more than ten new drug product submissions to the EMA and/or the FDA. Previously, Dr Martina was SVP Development and deputy CMO at Grünenthal Group where he was a key member of the Global R&D Leadership and Commercial Leadership Teams and has been responsible for advancing the R&D pipeline, including phase 2 and 3 assets and several earlier programs. Dr Martina has also been involved in business development and in the completion of the acquisition of Mestex AG. From 2014 to 2017, Dr Martina was Vice President Development and Clinical Operations in Shionogi Europe, where he was a key contributor to the approval of Mulpeo and Cefiderocol and has also had several roles in mid-size and large pharmaceutical companies and at academic institutions.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Scientific Advisory Board
- Certified Surgeon at UW Medicine
Dr Patchen Dellinger is a board-certified surgeon at UW Medicine. Dr Dellinger was involved in the development of the World Health Organization Surgical Safety Checklist, which was piloted at eight hospitals around the world, including the UW Medical Centre. He subsequently worked to bring the checklist to all operating rooms in Washington.
Dr Dellinger believes the doctor must teach the patient the nature of the patient's condition, the options available to treat it, and the potential benefits and complications of any proposed treatment. The informed patient is in the best position to be a full partner in care, which increases the probabilities of a successful outcome.
Dr Dellinger's clinical and research interests include patient safety, general and laparoscopic surgery, gastrointestinal surgery including gallbladder disease and fistulas, difficult and recurrent hernias and surgical infectious diseases.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Scientific Advisory Board
- Chairman of the Workforce
- Professor of Surgery
Dr Glenn Whitman is a Professor of Surgery, in the Division of Cardiac Surgery at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland. He is the Director of the CVSICU at Johns Hopkins Hospital, and has recently stepped down as the Director of Cardiac Transplantation, a position he held for the past 7 years. He received his medical degree from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, his cardiothoracic training at the University of Colorado, and has been in practice for more than 30 years.
In his role overseeing quality within the cardiac division at Hopkins, he has published on multiple critical care issues including early extubation postoperatively, blood utilisation, acute kidney injury, and in an area relevant to Destiny Pharma, postoperative infections.
Dr Whitman is the current Chair of the Workforce on Critical Care within the Society of Thoracic Surgery, and is recognised internationally as an expert on postoperative care of the cardiac surgery patient.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Non - Executive Director
- International Chief Investment Officer for China Medical System Holdings
Mr Stearns serves as the International Chief Investment Officer for China Medical System Holdings, a speciality pharmaceutical company listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Prior to joining China Medical System Holdings, he spent over 20 years in the financial markets based in both London and New York, latterly as a director in Corporate Advisory at Panmure Gordon with a focus on life sciences.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Vice President, Clinical Operations
Mr Lees has over 25 years clinical operations and drug development experience predominantly focused on working with start-ups and biotech companies. He has worked for both larger pharmaceutical and contract research organisations on studies in anti-infectives, analgesia, cardiovascular and immunological therapeutic areas across all clinical phases. Mr Lees joined the team at Destiny Pharma as the Director of Clinical Operations in 2017 and has contributed towards the opening of the XF-73 Nasal IND, conduct of Phase 2 program and development of Destiny's operational infrastructure.
Dr Leonard Mermel was a Technical Expert Panel Member of the Medicare Patient Safety Monitoring System, US Dept. of Health and Human Services. He was the 2005 President of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) and the 2014 SHEA Mentor Scholar Award recipient which honours individuals who are recognised for their dedication and excellence in mentoring trainees in infection prevention and control.
He is the 2016 recipient of The Milton W. Hamolsky Outstanding Physician Award from the Rhode Island Hospital Medical Staff Association. He is a past recipient of the Ralph A. Kinsella, Sr. Memorial Tribute Award from St. Louis University Hospitals for outstanding qualities of work, leadership, and ability as a house staff officer, the SHEA Young Investigator Award, the Brown Medical School Department of Medicine Chairman's Award for Outstanding Teaching, Brown Medical School Dean's Excellence in Teaching Award, and the Brown Medical School Certificate of Recognition for Exemplary Teaching.
Dr Mermel has co-authored US guidelines dealing with prevention and management of intravascular catheter infections and he has authored or co-authored over 300 articles, textbook chapters, and abstracts dealing with infection control and infectious diseases. Dr Mermel and Dr David Classen together developed the idea for the Compendium of Strategies to Prevent Healthcare-Associated Infections in Acute Care Hospitals which is now a standard guidance used in the United States and the basis for some of the National Patient Safety Goals. He is Co-Course Director of the Annual Fellows Course in Hospital Epidemiology & Infection Control. He has lectured at the National Institutes of Health, Institute of Medicine, NASA Johnson Space Center, and internationally on infectious disease issues. His research interest is the prevention of healthcare-associated infections.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Scientific Advisory Board
- Professor
Professor Mark Wilcox has several current substantive roles including: a consultant microbiologist and the Head of Research and Development in Microbiology at the Leeds Teaching Hospitals (LTHT), where he is also the Infection Lead of Leeds NIHR Diagnostic Technologies Medical Technology and In Vitro Diagnostic Co-operative; Professor of Medical Microbiology at the University of Leeds; National Clinical Director of Antimicrobial Resistance for NHS Improvement/England (NHSE/I); and Lead on Clostridium difficile for Public Health England (PHE). He serves in multiple advisory roles, including to UK SAGE (COVID-19), as co-chair of the UK Technical Validation Group for COVID-19 tests, as a medical advisor to the National Infection Prevention & Control Lead (NHSE/I), the Medical Research Council's Infection and Immunity Panel, as Chair of PHE's Rapid Review Panel (reviews the utility of infection prevention & control products for the NHS) and member of the UK NHS Antimicrobial Resistance Programme Board.
He was formerly the Director of Infection Prevention (4 years), Infection Control Doctor (8 years), and Clinical Director of Pathology (6 years) at LTHT and Head of Microbiology (15 years).
Professor Wilcox leads a Healthcare Associated Infection Research Group at the University of Leeds (http://medhealth.leeds.ac.uk/hcai), comprising 30 doctors, scientists and nurses. Projects include multiple aspects of Clostridium difficile infection, diagnostics, antimicrobial resistance and the gut microbiome, infection prevention and control interventions, and the clinical development of new antimicrobial agents. He has a track record of translational research (https://medicinehealth.leeds.ac.uk/medicine/staff/3541/professor-mark-wilcox), including providing the basis of clinical advice to the NHS. He has been the Principal/UK Investigator for 16 clinical trials of new anti-infective drugs, 1999-2021. He has authored >550 papers and published a number of books and chapters. He is co-editor of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (5th/6th/7th Eds, 2007/12/15).
Job Titles:
- Chief Executive Officer
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Member of the Leadership Team
Mr Clark qualified as an accountant with PwC in Cambridge, UK and worked for over ten years on a variety of national and international assignments in audit, corporate finance and consultancy. In 1997, Mr Clark joined CeNeS Pharmaceuticals plc, a venture capital backed private UK biotech company. Following the successful flotation of CeNeS in 1999, he was appointed CFO. In 2005, he became CEO and led the company through to its sale in 2008. He then joined Ergomed in January 2009 and was CFO during its IPO in July 2014. Mr Clark joined Destiny Pharma as CEO in early 2017. Mr Clark is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and has a BSc in Bioscience from the University of Nottingham.
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Board of Directors
Mr Rodgers has considerable Board experience in both public and private growth companies, particularly those in the life science sector, as well as a background as a successful corporate financier and investment banker. Mr Rodgers is currently chairman of SEHTA, one of the largest health technology networking organisations in the UK. Prior to this, he was non-executive director and then chairman of fully listed Oxford Biomedica plc, a leading gene-based biopharmaceutical company, from 2004 until 2016. Previously, Mr Rodgers headed up both the Life Science and Corporate Finance department at Evolution Beeson Gregory (now Investec) advising many listed life science companies from 1989 until 2003.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Non - Executive Director
Mr Brooksby has held senior strategic and operational roles in the USA, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Latin America & Asia with Sanofi, Pfizer & GSK (Wellcome). He is a past Non-Executive Director of the UK Government's Porton Biopharma Ltd, Chronos Therapeutics Ltd, and the nominated Wellcome Trust Director of several biotechnology companies. Mr Brooksby is former President of the British Pharma Industry (ABPI), a Member of the South Australian Health Board, the CBI's President Committee, the UK Government's Business, Innovation & Skills (now BEIS) Advisory Board and the Chair of the European Medicines Group. In addition, he holds several Global Academic Board and Charity Trustee positions.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Scientific Advisory Board
Richard A Proctor, MD is the Professor Emeritus of Department of Medical Microbiology/Immunology and Professor Emeritus of Department of Medicine at University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health Madison, Wisconsin. He also served as Global Director of Infectious Diseases for Merck Research for Antibiotics and Antifungals (2008-2010).
While his most recent work has focused upon many aspects of staphylococcal infections, he has spent more than two decades studying macrophage activation, basic immunology, and sepsis. Professor Proctor is a leading expert on bacterial pathogenesis of infectious disease.
He has been the Chairman of Medical Advisory Board at MicroPhage, Inc. Member of Scientific Advisory Boards for ConjuGon Inc., AmebaGon, BioSynexus, Destiny Pharma, Inhibitex Inc., and Telephus Medical LLC.
He serves on a number of panels addressing emerging antibiotic resistance and served as President of the Wisconsin Chapter of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. He was also a founding member of the International Endotoxin Society and the co-founder of the Staphylococcal Diseases Gordon conference; served as President and councillor Alexander von Humboldt Association of America; recipient of the Alexander von Humboldt Prize and the Harold P. Rausch Translational Research Award; recipient of the Commanding Officer's Award for Research while attached to Walter Reed.
Job Titles:
- Chief Financial Officer
- Company Secretary
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Member of the Leadership Team
Mr Claydon is an accomplished corporate financier and qualified Chartered Accountant with over 18 years' board level experience, including within the biotechnology sector. He has extensive experience of delivering financial and operating results and from 2015 served as CFO of Creabilis, a venture backed clinical stage specialty pharmaceutical company focused on dermatology treatments, during which he led the $150 million sale of the business to Sienna Biopharmaceuticals. From 2009 to 2014 Mr Claydon was CFO and chief operating officer of Orteq Sports Medicine, a medical device company and world leader in the field of biodegradable polymer technologies. Prior to these positions Mr Claydon held a number of senior financial consultancy and corporate finance roles including at PwC, Evolution Beeson Gregory (now Investec) and HSBC Investment Banking.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Scientific Advisory Board
- Scientist
- MHS
Professor Vance Fowler is a clinician scientist focused on clinical and translational research involving antibiotic-resistant bacteria. He is a professor in the Departments of Medicine and Molecular Genetics & Microbiology at Duke University Medical Center and for two decades he has focused on the diagnosis, treatment, and understanding of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA)